By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering major strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure as Washington and Israel coordinate possible military escalation.

Key Developments

• US media report Trump is weighing strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, including refineries and power plants, although final approval has not yet been given.
• Axios, CBS News and The Wall Street Journal say Washington and Israel are coordinating possible joint military operations.
• Iran warned that attacks on its energy infrastructure would trigger broad retaliation against US and Israeli strategic assets across the region.

Trump Signals New Escalation against Iran

US President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing a significant expansion of the military campaign against Iran, with multiple American media outlets reporting that Washington is considering strikes targeting the country’s energy infrastructure.

According to Axios, CBS News and The Wall Street Journal, the proposed operation would focus on strategic energy assets—including refineries, power plants and other critical infrastructure—in an effort to pressure Tehran during ongoing negotiations.

Although US officials said Trump has not yet issued final orders, military planning is reportedly at an advanced stage.

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Speaking during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday, Trump signaled that further attacks remain under consideration.

“Well, we’ll be hitting them very hard and, you know, at some point they’re going to say, ‘We just can’t take it anymore,'” he said.

Trump added that sustained military pressure would eventually weaken Iran, saying, “The more we hit them, the weaker they get.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later reiterated the administration’s position.

“As President Trump said at his Cabinet meeting today, the United States will win, and Iran will not have a nuclear weapon under his watch,” she said.

Reports Point to US-Israeli Coordination

CBS News reported that Washington and Tel Aviv are discussing what sources described as one of the largest bombing campaigns of the conflict, with strikes potentially beginning as early as this weekend.

According to the report, energy infrastructure—including oil refineries and power-generation facilities—would likely be among the primary targets.

Multiple US sources told CBS that Israel has been notified of the planning and is coordinating with Washington, although an Israeli official said no final decision has been communicated and Israel has not formally been asked to participate.

The Wall Street Journal similarly reported that Trump approved a military plan presented during meetings at Camp David, while noting that any breakthrough in diplomacy could still delay or halt the operation.

CBS also reported that US officials discussed concluding operations before global financial markets reopen Monday because of concerns over potential economic disruption.

Meanwhile, several US embassies across West Asia—including those in Jordan, Iraq and occupied Jerusalem—issued heightened security alerts, warning American citizens of increased regional tensions and possible travel disruptions.

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Iran Warns of Regional Retaliation

The reported plans come after several days of renewed escalation between Washington and Tehran, including Iranian missile attacks targeting US military positions in Jordan and continued tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Axios reported that some US officials were surprised by what they described as Iran’s willingness to continue escalating despite sustained American military operations.

Trump has previously warned that further attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz would be met with strikes against Iranian power plants and bridges, including targets in Tehran.

Iran, however, warned that any attack on its civilian or energy infrastructure would provoke a much broader response.

Tasnim News Agency quoted a senior Iranian security official as saying that strikes on Iranian infrastructure would constitute “an act of madness.”

“We have prepared a broad response plan that includes strikes against the Zionist regime’s critical infrastructure and US energy infrastructure in the region, and we are fully prepared to carry it out,” the official said.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell declined to discuss specific targets but stressed that US forces remain ready to act.

“The Department of War is locked and loaded, ready to execute the President’s directives at a moment’s notice,” he said.

The reports come as the conflict enters its sixth month, with diplomatic efforts increasingly overshadowed by preparations for another round of military escalation.

(PC, CBS News, Axios, Wall Street Journal)